"And will you tell all your friends
You've got your gun to my head
This all was only wishful thinkin..."

-TBS


Chapter 3:Only Wishful Thinking

The reality of it all came crashing down as Zabini began to explain the details of Harry's demise. "So Weasley, basically we're going to give Potter hell for a week, and your job is to set and bait the trap. Tomorrow, you're going to leave a message for Potter in the Great Hall to meet you in the Entrance Hall by the Grand staircase after breakfast-"

Ron interrupted. "Well this is all fine and dandy Zabini, but were you bloody well paying attention to anything that just happened five minutes ago? I just made out with his girlfriend- in front of him! He wants to murder me, not have a friendly conversation after breakfast."

"Exactly." Blaise replied.

"Wipe that stupid-ass grin off your face Zabini! What do you mean "exactly"?" Ron snapped.

"God Weasley- calm down. We weren't planning on it- but since Potter's pissed at you we thought we might as well make the most of it. Not a very detailed plan- just something I came up when I saw Potter rampaging into the library. Just avoid him- skip breakfast- I don't care, just make sure that Potter will throw a fit and try to kill you, anything to cause a scene for all the other students exiting the Great Hall. That's when Malfoy and I step in and save your ass fromPotter." Zabini grinned again, god he was so arrogant that it was almost unbearable.

"Malfoy? So he's in on this too?"

"Well who the hell did you think I meant when I said 'we'? You really can be dense sometimes."

"So basically you and Malfoy are going to save me from Harry, who is going to try and 'kill' me- make me look like a coward in front of half the school. And I should help you because...? Boy you two are brilliant- just brilliant!" Ron commented sarcastically.

"You're missing the point." Blaise said, staring to get more then just a little fed up. "We'll be making Harry look like a real prick for trying to beat up his best friend- and you may look like a coward in front of half the school, but I guarantee that Granger will just eat up that whole 'I'm not going to fight you' act. Besides this is nothing compared to what we have in store for Potter for the rest of the week. Just wait Weasley." Zabini got up and started to leave, patting Ron on the back as he walked by. "Watch and learn from the master." His haughty attitude was visible in each stride he took, as he sauntered out the door. Ron remained at his seat by the table still wondering how he had even gotten himself into this mess. He almost wished he could blame it all on Hermione, which wouldn't be entirely fair. But then again life wasn't fair so what the hell did it matter anyway?

Ron looked at the grandfather clock across the room. Oh shit! Quidditch practice... He had promised Harry he would be there. It would only make things worse if he didn't show up- or would it things get worse if he did show up? Were he and Harry still even friends? Maybe they could work everything out- it was just an accident after all- but what about the deal he had just made with Zabini? Was Harry even really sleeping with his sister? Why was everything so fucking complicated! Ron just needed some time to think. The only problem was that there didn't seem to be enough time in a day or even a week to come up with all the solutions to his problems. One thing at a time, he decided. He would go to Quidditch practice- not because he promised Harry, but for the team. From there he would try and avoid Harry as much as humanly possible. Even though he had sold himself out to the Slytherin's didn't mean that he was ready to lose the House Cup to them, or that he liked any of them any more then before.

Ron then proceeded to make his way down to the Quidditch Pitch and into the boys' team room where everyone had already started getting ready for practice. Much to Ron's relief, rather then try and hex or try and blow him to pieces like he had before, Harry simply refused to talk to Ron, and all their other teammates knowing something was up, avoided the two all together. Yeah, today was going to be a fun practice for sure.

After practice Ron rushed into the team room took and quick shower, and changed back into his school robes. He was entirely exhausted and wished he could just fall asleep in the team room, but he didn't want to hang around Harry more than he had too. Ron knew that if Harry was giving him the silent treatment now, it would only be a matter of time before he exploded. Harry never had proved very well at holding his feelings in for long.

Ron didn't even bother going up to his dorm... He would just have to find another place to sleep tonight. Finally thinking up an idea, Ron decided to head up to the infirmary and make up some excuse about having trouble sleeping.

Madame Pomfrey seemed almost too happy to help. "Well, you just make yourself comfortable Mr. Weasley, while I prepare a Sleeping Draught," she said, giving him a warm motherly smile.

A few moments later she handed him the brewed potion. As soon as the warm liquid began to seep down his throat, he was already beginning to feel the effects of the potion taking hold of him. His head grew heavy and he could no longer keep his eyelids open. Yawning, his head fell onto the pillow and he entered an entirely different world that was all his own.

Images and movie clips flashed through his mind. He was Quidditch Captain and they had just won the House Cup. Harry gave him a congratulatory pat on the back, while the Slytherin's fumed amongst the background. In another scene he was with Hermione and they were outside lying on the grass looking up at the stars, their hands entwined. Hermione rolled over to ruffle his hair playfully and laid her head against his chest. Everything seemed so perfect. And then everything went black. No longer were the stars in the sky, and no longer was Hermione beside him. He felt so alone in this empty void.

Suddenly, there was a bright green flash and the scene changed again. Dead bodies lay everywhere and as Ron got closer, to his horror, he realized that he recognized their faces. Ginny. Mum. Dad. Percy. Bill. Charley. Lupin. Tonks. Mad-Eye, and so many more that it just overwhelm him, and he desperately tried to choke back tears. But where was she? Where was Hermione? He ran recklessly through lifeless bodies and debris calling her name.

And then he found her… She couldn't be dead- she just couldn't be... But she was- almost untouched, unscathed, but the light in her eyes was gone. Just cold, cold and oh so beautiful. Ron softly touched her pale frozen face, and just sat there and cried for what seemed like an eternity. Hermione was dead- his whole family dead. Even Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived was gone, even though he was supposed to save them all from Voldemort. What point was there to living anymore? Everything that had ever matter was gone. His hands shaking, Ron pointed his wand at his head- so desperate- so hopeless... "Aveda K-"

Ron sprang up out of his bed, cold and sweaty his heart racing. He had a vague impression of where he was and why. The morning sunlight poured in through the windows across the room and suddenly he remembered the events of the day before, and the deal he had made with Zabini. He was having second thoughts now. God, what had he gotten himself into?